Many people access media through set top boxes (STBs) or other media presentation devices provided by media content providers (e.g., cable media providers, satellite media providers, etc.). Some STBs are equipped to report tuning information indicative of the media accessed by the STBs back to the content providers. Tuning information reported back to content providers via STBs or other similar devices is sometimes referred to as return path data (RPD). RPD tuning information may be used by audience measurement entities to track or monitor people's exposure to media.
The figures are not to scale. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawing(s) and accompanying written description to refer to the same or like parts.